The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1887-04-30
SIXTEENTH SECTIONS.

MY attention having Ueeu Caiieu ~
an article headed "Something of a
Grab" in the Ouachita Telegraph OF
the 23d inst, l feel it my duty in justice
to myself, as well as to correct the
erroneous impression the article is call
culated to make, to submit the follow
ing statement of facts:
In the Legislature of 1882, Mr.. Max
FeazeI. of Lincoln parish, introduced
resolution appointing a committee to
examine tho Auditors and Treasurer's
books with view Of carrying out
Article 1913 OF the Constitution of 1879.
Mr.. Feazel, himself, made thorough
investigation of all records bearing upon
the subject, and finally abandoned the
attempt to straighten matters, as the
data was too incomplete to enable him
to make satisfactory report.
In 1855, Mr.. Lott, OF West Carroll,
who reported Article 233 of the Consti~
tuition and who took the initiative in
having it's provisions enforced wrote
to Mr.. Fay, Superintendent of Public
Education as follows: "You will please
call the attention OF the Auditor and
Treasurer to this statement of facts.
We are clearly entitled 10 a credit for
the full amount of the money for which
the lands sold. II the State did not
collect the money on the notes, it was
her fault and loss and not ours."
In November, 1884, in reply to a
letter of mine on this subject, Mr.. Lott
saws: "Article 1913 of the Constitution
defines your duty in relation to these
school lands. l had the honor Of re-
porting to the Constitutional Conven.
ton Article 2333, and if the limit con-
tanned in that article to-wit, 81 1873 ,
S67 80 has not been exhausted on your
books, you clearly have the right to
extend the credits to any township,
which by the error or omission OF
former auditors has not been credited
wit tn the proper amount. If there is
any balance left of the sum appropriated
by article 233 for this purpose, it clearly
can be used in the manner indicated
above. However, if you should have
any doubt in the matter, refer the case
to the Attorney General, he, in addition
to being good lawyer, was member
of the Constitutional Convention and Ia
thoroughly conversant with all the
facts about the school moneys"
Thirty first Of December, 1881, he
writes: nThe School Board have again
called my attention to the sixteenth
sections of this parish You will please
at your earliest convenience investigate
the matter. TO which / called your at
tention in my last, so far as the records
of your Office show" This request, to-
gether with other correspondence on
this subject induced me to issue the
following circular, dated February 7,
1885:
Article 223 of the Constitution fixes
the debt due by the State to the free
school fund at 81, 1870, SGT 80, and as the
limit has not been reached, the several
townships which by error or omission
have no, received the amount 10 which
they are entitled, Will upon satisfactory
evidence, he given the proper credits
In February 1888, MIR. Lott again
writes: uNours to hand. Tho best
evidence | can furnish will DO deeds.
1t is true that act 81 OF 1872 did require
the Auditor and Treasurer TO place on
the books, to credit of the townships,
the sums due them, as indicated by
these bonds, but it was impcrfectiy
done, or if done, ii was in the missing
books OF tho Auditors office, and could
not be found in Il complete shape,
when the Constitutional Convention OF
1879 was in session. As member of
that convention and of the committee
which had charge of that matter, alter
long and patient Investigation, we de-
clared the debt to be as stated in art.
233. We examined carefully the book )
of the Auditor and Treasurer, also the
general appropriation acts O! the Gen
eral Assembly, from 1850 to date, talk
Ing theretrom items of interest APP.
propriated at each session to cover the
amount of iuteres! duo on these bonds.
From this we could draw u toIerably
SoDl Idea of the urirpinal of the debt